Refrigerating apparatus



E?. E. WHLMAMS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed August 6, 1925 Patented Dec. 28,l i926.

FRANK E'WILLIAIVIS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORQTO BOLA-R ELECTRIC RE- FRIGERATOR CORPORATION, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 0F MIS- sonar.

JREFRIGERATIG APFARATUS.

Application. ied August 6, 1925. Serial No. 48,512.

Thisinvention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and more especially to a cooler adapted for cooling efficiently longitudinal compartments, such as the interior of a counter display cabinet of the type used by bers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, A

Figure 1 1s a `plan view of the cooler, parts being broken away and others beinghshown' in section; A

Figure 2 is a verticalsectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

"Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-'3 in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional' view taken on the line 4--4 in Figure 1.

' The cooler comprises a substantially rectangular longitudinal brine tank 1, preferably sheet metal, and having apertures 2 in its'top wall 3 corresponding to similar apertures 4 in its bottom wall 5. The apertures 2 land 4 are'arranged in transverse rows dise posed symmetrically on either side of the middle of the longitudinal dimension of vthe tank.. The apertures 2 and 4 are elongated in the direction of the longitudinal dimension ofthe tank. Vertical sleeves or walls 6 y connect the top and bottom walls of the tank, the open ends of the sleeves 6 being in registration with the apertures 2 and 4, and the sleeve flanges 7 at the said ends are connected to the said top and bottom walls with liquid-tight joints. The ducts or cavities 8 enclosed by the sleeves 6 assist in cooling the surrounding a1r by promoting the circulation of convectionair currents, the air cooled in the ducts 8 descending therein. Nipples 9 and 10 are provided in the' upper and lower portions, respectively, of the tank to permit the latter tobe filled with or emptied of brine, the said nipples` normally being closed by caps 11 screw-threaded there- A marginalframe 12 of angle iron rests on the bottom wall 5 of the tank 1, the horizontal flanges 13 of the angle iron frame engaging the said bottom wall,- and the vertical flanges 14 of the angle iron frame 'being disposed on its outer/margin and abutting against the inner sides of the lateral walls 15 and 16 and the end walls 17 vand 18 of the said tank.

The front lateral wall 15 has an aperture 19 in its upper middle portion to receive the. cylindrical end or boss 2O of a vapor izer header 21, arranged transversely in the'.

tank 1. The 'boss 20A has an opening 22 therethrough to afford access to the interior of the header 21, and the-said opening is normally closed by means of a plate or cover' 23, preferably secured thereto by means of screws 24. Screw-threaded openings 25-and 26 are provided in the cap 23 to make piping connections with a refrigerant circulating system, which connections are not shown since they are old and well known to those skilled in the art. opening 26 may, also, be connected to suit- The inner side of the able means for` controlling the level of liquid refrigerant in the header 21, such as a floatcontrolled valve, which means are, also, old and well known, and, therefore, not shown herein. The boss 20 projects from a shoulderi 27, which abuts against the innerside of the wall 15 andis connected thereto in a Huid-tight manner, .being preferably soldered thereto. The upper portion of the header is relatively wide, forming the chamber 28 proper in which the vaporized refrigerant is collected and in which the'level 29 of liquid refrigerant is maintained; and the upper portion of the chamber 28 is preferably enclosed by a semi-cylindrical-wall portion 30, the opposite sides of which continue downwardly as straight vertical wall portions 31 to the bottom of the chamber 28, arid thencontinue horizontally inward at 32 until they nearlypmeet. Vertical wall portions ?3 depend from the nearly meeting inner ends of theuhorizontal wall portions 32, and the lower ends of the said portions 3-3 are connected by a horizontal wall 34, the

outer ends of which project beyond the wall l the frame 12. The thin vertical chamber 36 formed between the wall portions 33 functions as a distributor for the lower' por- .the headers 37 with the chamber 28, and

tubes 44 connect the lower portions of the headers 37, preferably passing through the distributing chamber 36 in the intermediate header 21.` There are three vertical rows of such tubes,'each row comprising superposed lower tubes 44 and superposed upper tubes 43. One of the rows passes between the front wall 15 and the sleeves 6 adjacent thereto; another intermediate the pair of sleeves 6 comprising a transverse row; and the third is interposed between the rear wall '16 and the sleeves 6 adjacent thereto. The

. inner walls 39 of end headers 37, and the wall portions 31 and 33 of intermediate header 21, have exterior bosses 45 thereon, provided with openings 46 therethrough to receive the pipes 43 and 44 in a liquid-tight manner, the pipes being preferably soldered therein. That portion of each of the tubes 44 disposed within the chamber 36 is apertured at 47 on its upper side to effect cornmunication between the chamber 36 and the interior of the tubes 44.

Liquid refrigerant, -preferably sulphur dioxide, is supplied to the chamber 28 of the header 21 through the opening 26 from any suitable compressing 'or liquefying apparatus included in the refrigerant circulating system.' The liquid refrigerant flows into the chamber 36 and through pipes 43 and 44 into the interior of the hollow end headers 37. The liquid boils in the evaporator comprising the said headers and pipes, absorbing heat from the surrounding brine in the sheet metal tank 1. The vapor arising in the pipes and headers eventually reaches the vapor space in the upper portion of the chamber 28, from whence it is drawn off by -the suction of the compressor included in the refrigerant circulating system. It is worthy of note that the bubbles of vapor arising through each of the openings 47 are deflected from a straight upward course by the obstruction encountered in the next higher pipe thereabove, so-that the ascending bubbles can not obstruct the openings 'of the higher pipes and interfere with the flow of liquid refrigerant thereto. If the pipes 44 did not extend through the chamber 36, but terminated in open ends thereat,

'manifestly bubbles ascending through the chamber 36 would obstruct such end openings which they encountered in their passage. 'Ihe term brine as used herein is to be construed broadly as including any suitable anti-freezing solution, such as alcohol, sodium chloride, calcium chloride and the like, the latter solution being preferred. The cap 11 of nipple 9 is preferably provided with a vent opening 48 in the top thereof to allow air to enter into or pass out of the tank to compensate for the contraction or expansion of the brine therein with variation of temperature.

One of the merits of the present invention resides in the fact that the configuration of the vaporizer in the tank is such that each sleeve 6 is entirely surrounded by respective portions of the vaporizer. This distribution of the several portions of the vaporizer in the tank contributes to an even cooling of all sides of the sleeves 6, as well as of the sides of the tank; supplementing the function of the circulating brine in this respect.

Having thus fully described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A horizontally elongated vaporizer for a refrigerantcoinprising a vertically transversely disposed intermediate hollow distributing header having the' upper portion of its interior relatively wide and the lower portion relatively constricted, a pair of vertical transverse hollowl headers disposed respectively at opposite ends of the vaporizer, and a transverse series of vertical rows of superposed'horizontal pipes directly connecting the end headers with the intermediate header,

2. In a refrigerating' apparatus, a horizontally elongated substantially rectangular brine tank having a transverse row of vertical passages therethrough partitioned from the tank interior. a pair of headers disposed in the tank interior on opposite sides of the said row, and pipes in the tank intermediating the said passages and connecting the said headers.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus, a horizontally elongated substantially rectangular brine tank having a pairof transverse rows of vertical passages therethrough partitioned from the tank interior, 'each row being disposed in a respective longitudinal end portion of the tank; a vaporizer distributing header vertically transversely disposed in,l

the tank interior intermediately of the said rows; a pair of vertical transverse headers disposed respectively at opposite ends of the vaporizer beyond the row of passages thereat; and a series of vertical rows of superposed horizontal pipas connecting the end headers with the intermediate header, each of the intermediate rows of pipes passing `between -two respective vertlcal adjacent l tially rectangular brine tank having amarginal frame of angle iron on the floor thereof, a plurality of vaporizer headers resting on the said frame and disposed in proper spaced relation to the tank thereby, and pipes connecting the said headers.

5. A vaporizer for a refrigerantl comprising an intermediate hollowA distributing header, a pair of hollow end headers, and

pipes extending from one end header through the intermediate header tol the other end header, that portion of each o't' the pipes Within the intermediate header being provided With-a lateral opening to effect communication with the interior of the intermediate header. Y

6. refrigerating apparatus comtprising a tank, an intermediate hollov7 hea er positioned Within thesame, said header a vapor-receiving chamber at its upper end and developin at its lower end into a relatively thin an Widefvertically disposed distributing chamber, end headers disposed-re' spectively on' opposite sides of said intermediate header and pipes connecting the end' headers with said intermediate header.v

7. A vaporizer for a refrigerant compris# ing van intermediate Vhollow distributing header,y a pair of hollow end headers and a plurality of pipes extending` from the vend header through the intermediate header to the other end header, that portion of each'ot the pipes within the intermediate header being provided with an upwardly directed opening to effect communication with the interior of the intermediate header.

Intestimony `whereof I hereunto aflix-my signature.

FRANK E. WILLIAMS.

defining 

